


Imagine

by RingoInABlanket



Category: Queen (Band), The Beatles (Band)
Genre: Angst, Beatles Reunion, Don’t copy to another site, Drama, Fluff, John Lennon lives AU, Live Aid, Mild Language, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shy John Deacon, T is only for the mild language, Worried John Lennon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2020-02-10 20:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18667846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RingoInABlanket/pseuds/RingoInABlanket
Summary: A John Lennon survives AU.The Beatles decide to reunite after John luckily survives being shot. All of them worried that they may never get to reunite. While John Lennon is having life problems, a certain Live Aid concert appears.Also Queen appears.This work may be finished but more could be added.





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> This story happened because I’ve always thought about what would happen if John Lennon was alive when Live Aid happened.

John Lennon woke to the sound of beeping. Everything hurt and something was squeezing his hand. Some one was mumbling, but it was too loud and hurt his ears.

It was becoming too much so he opened his eyes. He immediately shut them. A horribly bright light was all he could see. The second try was more successful though, his eyes stayed open. Sort of, there was a lot of blinking. The third try they were officially open and he could see. 

He was in a hospital room with all the other ex-Beatles sitting around him. Paul was squeezing his hand rather painfully, his head laying on the bead as he slept. George was sitting in an uncomfortable position, passed out, drooling.

The only one awake was Ringo. He became aware of Johns consciousness and his confusion rather quickly. “What happened? Why am I in a hospital? Why are you all here?” John asked Frantically. 

“Well when you were going home when a person decided to shoot you in the chest. You nearly died. They raced you here and you survived. You’re been unconscious for three weeks. And we’re here because we care about you.” Ringo answered “but...” he stopped.

“But what?” John asked, still taking everything in. “Well, your life will probably be shorter” Ringo said, nervously. “How much shorter?” John asked, his voice shaking. “Twenty to thirty years”

Johns world went blank. Twenty to thirty years. He was forty for crying out loud. He could die in ten years. Tears started forming in his eyes. 

Sean could have no father. Yoko no husband. That reminded him “Is Yoko ok? How about Sean?”. “They’re fine. Yoko’s at your home with Sean since it’s 3:33 AM” Ringo replied. John just nodded.

“Do you want me to wake the others up?” Ringo asked. John nodded again. Ringo then woke George up. He rubbed his eyes and tried wiping away the drool covering his face “Wh-what? Ringo why am I awake?”. “Because some one else is” Ringo responded and pointed to John.

“John your awake! And you’re ok! How long have you been awake? Has Ringo told you the news?” George asked much quicker than John could comprehend.

“Um what?” John stuttered. Ringo sighed “He’s been awake for a few minutes and I told him”. “Ok” George responded. 

“Hey can someone save my hand from losing blood circulation” John said while looking at Paul, who was still squeezing his hand. 

George, being the smart person he is, lifted Paul off the ground, shaking him awake. Paul was awake in seconds but George didn’t put him on solid ground till he asked.

After Paul reacted to John being awake, similar to George’s, some big questions needed answering. Like one, the Beatles. Or more particularly Beatles reunion.

Paul, George and Ringo has discussed it while John was unconscious. In the many the years since the Beatles breakup none of them had thought about the fact that one of them could die.

They had thought they had years to get back together but John being shot had been a massive wake up call. 

They all sat there in silence. No one wanted to say something with everyone present. Years of hate, no communication to all four of them and people bringing up their fights prevented any of them from saying something.

It was John that broke the silence. He didn’t like sitting their while his life wasted away, waiting for them to say something. 

“So..... the Beatles?”

“We were discussing if we should reunite” Paul said. “Only if all of us want to” Ringo added. 

“Really?” John asked, shocked and confused. He didn’t think they actually wanted to reunite. But like many time in John’s life, he was wrong.

“Yeah, we think we should” said George “All of us thought we would have ages to get together again. But when you got shot we realised that something could happen to any of us.”

John stayed thought for a moment “What did you decide?”. They looked at each other and then at him. 

“We said yes. It’s just you that’s undecided” Paul said. 

“Ok, let’s reunite. My life’s ticking away and you said something could happen to any of us. So, we should. Our arguing is a thing of the past but personally we shouldn’t have stayed split for so long” He answered 

“Well that went quicker than expected” Stated Ringo.

The newly reunited Beatles decided to stay stay in John’s hospital room till morning. From that moment the plan to reunite started to happen. No matter what happened in the next few years, one fact would remain.

 

The Beatles were getting back together.


	2. The Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long this took. 
> 
> I would like to point out that some of the stuff in this chapter might not be historically accurate.

It had been four years since John had survived being shot. The Beatles reunion still remained a secret. No albums had been made and no concert had a all four of them.

This was because the year after the incident they found out John’s left arm wasn’t healing properly. The arm seemed ok because all the other injuries were there. But when those injuries we getting better, his left arm wasn’t.

That resulted in another year delay.

His left arm slowly got better and now he can use his fingers for short periods of time before the hurt.

By the time the John could play, could see properly, felt confident enough to do so and they were a band again, it was 1984.

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Paul was sitting at the piano, working new song idea. He had been at it for a few hours and now his hands hurt. He did some hand exercises and checked if Ringo and George were awake.

The Beatles to had brought back the Apple building and every three months would meet there together. Paul was living in London and generally worked in the building after they brought it back.

George and Ringo had arrived this morning from Canada. The two of them had gone there for a holiday and recently the two of them had been together a lot, making Paul a bit suspicious.

George and Ringo had been sitting on one of the couches. Ringo had fallen asleep, leaning against George. He didn’t mind Ringo and started reading a book. George eventually got tired at decided to take a nap.

Now George was lying the couch, his head at one end and his feet at the other. One of his arms was wrapped protectively around Ringo, who was curled up next to him. Paul had to admit they were adorable like that.

John wasn’t there yet. The him and Yoko had been in New York and were due to arrive soon.

Paul returned to his song, adding in another bar. The room was quite. The only sound from Paul’s pencil and Ringo’s snoring.

“Hello!” John screamed, walking into the studio holding Yoko’s hand. George woke up, holding Ringo close to him. Ringo also woke, very confused about why George was holding him.

Paul wasn’t that fazed though. But he did drop his pencil. “John” Ringo whined as he rubbed his eyes 

John just stood their laughing “sorry, didn’t realise you and George were sleeping”. “Don’t worry about it” Said George.

Yoko whispered to John and pointed to his arm. John lifted his arm and winced. “Something wrong?” Ringo asked. “Not really, just accidentally fell asleep on it and now it hurts” responded John.

“Oh, can you move it without it being painful?” Paul asked from the piano. “I can move it but it hurts” said John. “Ok” said George, grabbing some popcorn next to the couch he and Ringo were still seated on.

Suddenly there was a knock on the front. John jumped up from where he was sitting, to carelessly thought. He bumped his left arm, letting out a groan.

Paul reaches out to check if he was ok put John Dismissed him and walked to the door. He opened it with his right arm and left to answer who it was.

Everyone remained silent until John returned. He came back a minute later with an envelope. “Some one sent a letter to Paul” John as he gave it to him.

It was a letter from Bob Geldof about big concert coming up called Live Aid. Paul was supposed too get a phone call but George broke the phone about two months earlier. They also were to lazy to get it fixed.

It was addressed to Paul since Bob Geldof didn’t know about the Beatles deciding to reunite. Since Paul was at the Apple building the most, he asked for any mail or phone calls to go the building when he was working there. It asked if he would like to play for twenty minutes.

While Paul, George and Ringo were discussing if Paul should accept the letter Yoko left and went to where her and John were staying since she had jet lag and wanted to sleep.

John repeatedly read the letter even though he wanted to sleep too but had something on his mind. “What if we did a reunion instead?” Asked John, interrupting them. 

“What about your arm?” George asked “It’s fine. We’ve been wanting to do this for years” John said answering George’s question.

“Ok then, do we all want to preform” asked Paul. “Yes” John, George and Ringo responded. “Well this is finally happening” Ringo said.

“Which songs are we gonna play” George asked. “We should have at least one song from each of us so it it is even” John said “Octopus’s Garden for Ringo, Something for George, Let It Be for Paul and how about Imagine for me”

“That works” George said, writing on a piece of paper. “We also need some big ones like I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You and Hey Jude” Paul said as George continued to write.

“We should add Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band,Help and With A Little Help From My Friends” Ringo suggested. Suddenly they all started adding song suggestions, making George write more stuff down.

“We can’t fit all that in twenty minutes” George said as he showed them the math equation he had written on the paper.

“Remove some of the least popular ones” John suggested. “Then get rid of the ones that feature mainly one of us but leave Imagine since that’s a big hit” Ringo added.“Better but still to many for it to fit in twenty minutes” said George.

“How about we call Bob and ask him to give us two slots giving us forty minutes. Then we will decide which of those songs to play” Ringo said. “Ok, but we don’t have a working phone” John said looking at George.

“We could go to my house. It has a working phone” Paul suggested. They nodded in agreement.

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

They all sat near Paul’s blue phone at his house, waiting for Bob Geldof to answer. George was sitting on the ground, biting his finger nails. John was cleaning his new glasses that were the same as his famous round glasses.

John and Paul were standing next to each other, next to the phone. Paul holding it next to his ear.Ringo was fiddling with his rings. He was next to George But was sitting on a chair

Then Bob answered the phone. 

 

“Hello! Who is this?”

“Hello, Paul McCartney. I was calling to ask about Live Aid”

“Ok, what about?”

“I was wondering if you could give us two slots making it forty minutes instead of twenty?”

“Us?”

“Yeah”

“Why forty?”

“Well John, George, Ringo and I are thinking about doing the Beatles reunion concert at Live Aid But we can’t fit everything in”

“......”

“Bob?”

“...yeah?”

“You went silent for a minute”

“Oh, sorry. You said the Beatles are gonna preform together. Like a reunion?”

“Yes”

“Holy shit!”

“....”

“What were you calling for again?”

“The Beatles preforming at Live Aid and if it could be forty minutes”

“Oh yeah! Sorry, I’m a bit shocked”

“It’s fine”

“Give me a moment”

 

Paul stood there, waiting for Bob to come back. While he was doing that the other Beatles had moved a meter forward in anticipation.

“What’s going on?” Asked George, who was now eating the closest food item to him, an empty taco shell.

“He’s doing something” answered Paul.  
“What do you mean, doing something?” John asked. “He said to give- He’s back!”.

 

“Hello! Sorry, I was just checking if I can fit you in”

“Can you?”

“Yeah it’s just that I need two different people to book the slots. So it sounds fair for the other people”

“Ok. I’ll book the first spot and George will book the other?”

“Ok”

“Can you keep it a secret?”

“Sure! Should I advertise it as you and George separate?”

“Yeah. We haven’t fully planned the other bits. Can I call you later?”

“Sure”

“Wait, will there be anyone after us?”

“I was going to have someone after you but I’m going to change that because no one would want to preform after the Beatles reuniting”

“Good bye”

“Bye”

 

Paul hanged up and turned to the other Beatles. “So, can we have forty minutes?” Asked Ringo, who had moved the chair he was sitting on closer to Paul.

“Yes” Paul responded.

“Now that we have forty minutes we can fit in those songs” said George.

“Ok” said John “We can play Hey Jude first. Then She Loves You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Help. Then Let It Be, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and With A Little Help From My Friends. Then Something, Octopus’s Garden and Come Together, Lastly Imagine”

“Those songs will work” said Ringo, who was now standing. “Yeah, what should we do now?” Asked George.

“I’m gonna to where Yoko and I are staying and get some sleep” said John. “Me too” Ringo said “George?”. “Yeah. I’m still tired” George responded.

“Ok see you later” said Paul


	3. Backstage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. That took longer than expected.

It was Live Aid. The biggest concert ever. Over a billion people watching. Heaps of famous people were there. 

The Beatles were backstage in their trailer getting ready for their performance. Paul was pacing while John sat cross legged in a corner, fiddling with hands.

George and Ringo were sitting next to each other. George had his arm wrapped around Ringo who had his head laying on George’s shoulder.

Paul was mumbling plan to himself as he walked, going over how it was going to work.

George and Ringo were currently having a conversation but George had become annoyed due to the constant mumbling in the background. “Can you please be quieter?” He asked. 

Paul turned to wards him and stuck his tongue out before talking even louder so now it could be heard clearly. George just became more annoyed

John just sad quietly, eavesdropping, while the things happened between the others. He was able to hear what George and Ringo’s conversation and Paul’s mumbling. 

Because of this, hearing Paul talking about the performance was making John panicked about the performance.

Paul then began discussing the second to last song Come Together, unaware of John panicking behind him. “-Then John will preform Imagine by himself”

John ran.

He raced out the door and into a crowd of people. The second Paul realised John had ran away he sprinted after him. By the time Paul made it to the crowd John had already disappeared. 

Paul ran around the area for a minute, unable to find John. He went back to Ringo and George. “I can’t find him” Paul said getting worried.

“He probably gone and hid in a different area” George said. Paul began to walk in circles. John couldn’t of just run off like this. John had been looking forward to it since they got that letter. Every time they practiced he always worked the hardest.

Ringo then grabbed Paul’s shoulders, stopping him from moving and thinking. “Instead of worrying let’s just go and find him” Ringo said. Paul nodded “ok”.

Paul, Ringo and George began looking for him. Paul was running up to different people to know if they had seen John. The number of famous people he’d ran into it was probably a world record now. 

The Who and U2 had been helpless. But David Bowie and Elton John wanted to help but they had other problems to deal with. 

Next was Queen. They were in their trailer, after their performance, laughing about something. He opened the door and poked his head inside “Have any of you seen-“. “Hide me!” John Deacon screamed, trying to hide behind the other members so Paul couldn’t see him.

“Huh? Did I do something?” Paul said. “Don’t worry dear. Deacy is just shy and didn’t expect you to turn up at the door. Freddie, their lead singer, said. Paul was confused “Deacy?”. 

“Oh. Deacy as in Deacon. It’s a nickname” Brian May explained. “Oh, like Macca?” “Yeah” Deacy answered, moving from his hide place. “Why are you here? With us. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your preformance?”

“That’s the problem, John Lennon is missing. Well he ran away. We’re trying to find him so I’m asking the other bands or people, including you, if you’ve seen him.” Paul explained.

“Why did he run away?” Roger asked. “Don’t know. We were discussing the last song and he panicked, running away” Paul responded. “We we haven’t seen him, sorry” Freddie said “Want us to help you look for him?” 

“Yeah”

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

They were wondering through out the backstage area. Queen turned out to be a big help, after Deacy stopped fanboying.  
“You said John Lennon right?” Roger asked. “Yeah why?” Paul asked.

“Why is he here? I thought he wasn’t preforming?” Brian asked confused about the whole ordeal.

“Well you can’t tell anyone because we want to make it a surprise, ok?”. “Ok” Queen answered, curiously.

“The Beatles are going to do a reunion concert”. 

All of Queen gasped.

“It’s gonna be when I’m supposed to preform but Bob Geldof has given us fourty minutes because of how big it will be” said Paul. “I’m gonna sing the start of Hey Jude when the stage will be dark, only showing me. Then at the na’s start the others appear.”

“Wow” Freddie said, eyes wide in amazement. “Yeah non of us want to screw up” said Paul as they continued to search.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

They had been looking for thirty minutes by the time they found John Lennon. He was sitting on the ground, hidden in some storage room, away from the main area. Ringo and George had joined the group, causing Deacy to go nuts again.

“Why did you run away?” Ringo asked, Sitting down next to John. “I panicked” he answered. “Why?” Roger asked. 

John looked at Paul spoke “You we’re talking about how I will do Imagine by myself and I didn’t have a problem with it before but then I realised that I will be alone”

“What’s wrong with that?” A confused Paul asked. “If I’m alone you guys won’t be there to help me if I screw up” he replied.

“Why would you screw up?” Freddie asked.

“My arm still hurts when I use it for a long time even though it was supposed to get better” John said. “Everyone will laugh if I screw up.”

“Don’t worry about that. Remember how I was gonna play with you if there was a problem.” Paul said. John nodded. 

“Well then we’ll do that” he responded.  
Paul said as he hugged John “You’ll be fine.”

The two of them remain hugging for a few moments before Ringo and George joined them. Queen ended up awkwardly standing in the background.

“Sorry I ran away” John said as he rubbed his eyes. “Your don’t have to be sorry for that” Roger said. “Ok” John responded.

“We should probably put on the Sgt Peppers outfits on now” Ringo said as he nervously fiddled with his rings.

“Wait. Why the Sgt Peppers outfits?” Brain asked looking at Ringo. “The Sgt Pepper’s outfits. We’re going to wear them on stage” Paul said as he stood up.

“Ok. How long to you preform?” Deacy asked Paul. “In about an hour” he responded after he checked the the time. 

“It took us a while to find John so we should probably back now” George said. John said a little sorry since they now had less time.

“Ok then” Freddie said “Bye darlings!”  
“Bye” The Beatles said as they left the room and headed back to their trailer.

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

A few hours later the Beatles were behind the stage, waiting while their equipment was set up. And soon the others were went onto the dark part of the stage, leaving Paul alone. 

A few moments later a voice came over the Live Aid speakers, introducing Paul for his performance

 

Paul just stood there while the speech was given, shaking from nerves. But the speech soon came to an end and the people then announced him.

“And now I present to you. Paul McCartney!!!!”

Paul walked out.


	4. The Performance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Beatles preform.

Paul sat at the piano, the only part of the stage a light was shining on. The rest of the band was in their usual positions but hidden.

Paul looked behind him, checking that his hidden band mates were ready. They nodded. Paul waited for the crowd to quite down.  
He did one last check and positioned his fingers over the correct keys.

“Hey Jude”

The plan worked. The crowd were cheering for Paul, unaware of the other Beatles existence. 

It remained that way for the rest of the performance. The audience continued to believe that it was only Paul.

John, George and Ringo remained hidden, playing their instruments as the song went on, and Paul continued to sing. Paul then went on to sing the last line.

 

“Better, better, better, better, better! Waaaaaaaa!”

 

Then the lights turned on.

The entire crowd screamed

For the first time since 1969 the Beatles were preforming on a stage together and reunited. They continued the rest of the song and had every single person watching.

When the song finished John explained to everyone that they were officially back together while the others got ready for the other songs.

When they were ready they started preforming the rest of the songs. She Loves You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Help and Let it be went well. The crowd was singing along and nothing was going wrong.

They then went on to play Sgt Pepper and With a Little Help From My Friends. They did them together and had everyone cheering and screaming.

Next George sang Something but during the song he kept looking at Ringo with a oddly flirtatious look.

Then Ringo sang Octopus’s Garden but kept singing as though it was just him and George. 

John decided that he had to ask since their behaviour had been like this for a while. After they finished Octopus’s Garden and before Come together John and Paul walked up to them.

“Hey can I ask you two a question?” John asked the two away from the microphones.

“Ok.”

“Are you dating?”

There was a moment of silence before George decided to speak.

“Yeah...” George answered while Ringo just blushed.

“That’s amazing!” Paul said. “And adorable!” John exclaimed and Paul pulled them in for a hug. John winced though making Paul concerned.

“How’s your arm?” Paul asked.

“It’s hurts but I should be fine for this song” He responded “Though we are going to have to use the backup plan.”

Paul nodded. They then separated and got ready for Come Together.

Once they finished Come Together John went towards the Piano and sat closest to the audience. A few momentary later Paul sat on his left and prepared to play.

“Ready?”

John nodded and then counted them in. They played the beginning part of Imagine together perfectly before John started to sing.

 

 

Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

 

Imagine all the people

Living for today (ah ah ah)

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

 

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one

 

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

 

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will live as one

 

 

The crowd was screaming like crazy. Everything was blurring as John adrenaline rush came down. He turned and smiled to Paul. Suddenly out of the blue something happened.

 

Paul kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally finished.
> 
>  
> 
> Or not. Should I write more?

**Author's Note:**

> If there are any mistakes please let me know.


End file.
